Bottom closure means for container



Jan. 27, 19.70

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 3 Filed April 3-0. 1968 INVENTOR. 4 MAD/0 6292' Jan. 27, 1-970 v. oslPdv BOTTOM CL QSURE MEANS FOR CONTAINER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 50, 1968 INVENTOR. MAD/MA? Oa/ ou BY 4A;%4/4 M3im A77? xv s Jan 27, 1970 v. OSIPOV 3,

BOTTOM CLOSURE MEANS FOR CONTAINER Filed April 50, 1968 5 Sheets-$heet 5 I I I L g /6 Ti S 70 INVENTOR.

Zap/m Q's/mu BY Janl27, 19.70 v. OSIPOV BOTTOM CLOSURE MEANS FOR CONTAINER 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 30, 1968 25 20 T INVENTOR. MAD/MA? Qs/Fm/ BY /%A4%%MMJ A PMS 5 United States Patent 3,491,923 BOTTOM CLOSURE MEANS FOR CONTAINER Vladimir Osipov, North Brunswick, N.J., assignor to Brown Boveri Corporation, North Brunswick, N.J., a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 30, 1968, Ser. No. 725,302

Int. Cl. B65d 47/00 US. Cl. 222-503 16 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A container having a door closure at the bottom thereof which includes at least two sets of multiple leaf doors. Each set of doors includes a plurality of leaves hingedly connected to the bottom edge of the container and positioned so that the edges of the leaves of the upper set are intermediate the edges of the leaves of the lower set.

This invention relates to containers and more particularly to new and improved bottom closure means therefor. It is particularly adapted, among other possible uses, for use with containers which discharge a large quantity of chunk-like solid material therefrom in a short period of time, such as hot scrap metal, for example.

Heretofore, containers of the class described employed either angled orhorizontal bottom closures which moved back and forth' to close and open the bottom of the container. The discharge walls were tapered and the outlet openings at the bottom of the furnace were quite restricted. Simple flapper type doors were also employed, but .the hot material discharged therethrough tended to scatter. An object of this invention is to overcome the difficulties encountered with the prior art structures.

Briefly, my invention contemplates the provision of a new and improved construction wherein a container is providedhaving door closure means at the bottom thereof, and means for operating the door closure means, said closure means including a plurality of stages and each stage having a plurality of leaves. The leaves are hinged to the bottom edge of the container. Each stage is disposed with respect to the next adjacent stage so that the edges of the leaves of one stage are intermediate the edges of the leaves of the next adjacent stage.

In one form of the invention, the door closure means comprises a hydraulic or pneumatic control system which moves the lower stage leaves up and down, the upper stage leaves riding a long on the faces of the lower stage leaves. This control system includes a toggle linkage to ensure that the doors are held closed in case of failure in the fluid pressure system. When the lower stage leaves are opened, they also allow the upper stage leaves to open. The resulting open configuration is funnel-like and permits the material in the container to be dropped without scattering.

The present invention provides, in one form thereof, a container which is of cylindrical configuration, a twostage door closuremeans, and each stage including a plurality of leaves such as three or four, for example. Each of the leaves are pie-shaped and have the same circumferential sector and the edges of each leaf meet the edges of the adjacent leaves in abutting relationship when the door closure means is in its closed position. There are an equal number of leaves in each stage and those of the upper stage are disposed with respect to those of the lower stage so that the edges of the leaves of the upper stage are intermediate the edges of the leaves of the lower stage, thereby to provide an improved door closure means.

There has thus been outlined rather broadly the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better un- "ice derstood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter which will form the subject of the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception on which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as the basis for the design of other structures for carrying out the several purposes of the invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions as do not depart from the spirit ad scope of the invention.

Several embodiments of the invention have been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and are shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a container constructed in accordance with the concept of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the door closure means of the container of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1 and showing the door closure means in its closed position;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 3, but showing the door closure means in its open position;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view, partially in section, showing the operation of the door closure means;

FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view showing a two-stage door closure means, having four leaves per stage; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view showing a two-stage door closure means having three leaves per stage.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1-6, a vessel or container, indicated generally at 10, has an outer steel shell 12 and is lined with a refractory material 14. Such a container is suitable for use as a scrap preheating furnace, for example. As best seen in FIGS. 3-5, the container comprises door closure means, indicated generally at 16, which includes an upper stage or inside door assembly indicated generally at 18, and a lower stage or outside door assembly indicated generally at 20. The upper stage 18 embodies four pie-shaped leaves 22, each having an equal circumferential sector and each being hingedly connected to the bottom of the container 10 along their respective circumferential sectors, as at 24. As best seen in FIG. 2, the edges 26 of adjacent leaves meet in abutting relationship, respectively, when the door closure means is in its closed position.

The lower stage 20 embodies four pie-shaped leaves 28, each having an equal circumferential sector and each being hingedly connected to the bottom of a container 10 along their respective circumferential sectors, as at 30. As best seen in FIG. 2, the edges 32 of adjacent leaves meet in abutting relationship, respectively, when the door closure means is in its closed position.

It will be appreciated that there are the same number of leaves in the upper stage 18 as there are in the lower stage 20. However, the leaves in the upper stage are disposed with respect to those of the lower stage so that the edges 26 of the leaves 22 are intermediate the edges 32 of the leaves 28, for a purpose which will be discussed more fully hereinafter.

According to my invention, means are provided for operating the door closure means which include, as best seen in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, pneumatic piston-cylinder assemblies 34 pivotally mounted, as at 36, on gussets 38 extending outwardly from the shell 12. Air or other fluid means is supplied to the piston cylinder assembly 34 from supply lines 40, FIG. 1. A piston rod 42, FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, extends from the other end of the piston-cylinder assembly 34 and is pivotally attached to a plate assembly 44, as at 46, the plate assembly being pivotally attached to the shell 12, as at 48. A link 50 has one end which is also pivotally attached to the plate assembly 44,

as at 46, and the other end thereof is pivotally attached to an arm 52 extending from the lower stage leaf 28, as at 54. In operation, when the piston rod 42 is in its extended position, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, the door closure means is in its closed position. When the piston rod 42 is in its retracted position, as seen in FIG. 4, the door closure means is in an open position. It will be appreciated that the elements 42, 44 and 50 form a toggle linkage to ensure that the door closure means is held closed in case of failure in the pneumatic fluid system.

As best seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, the upper stage leaves 22 are not contacted directly, but are adapted to ride or slide on the lower stage leaves 28, as as 56, in a cam-like manner. When the lower stage leaves are opened, as seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, they allow the upper stage leaves to open, and the resulting open configuration is funnel-like, permitting the material in the container to be dropped without scattering. When the lower leaves are closed, the upper leaves ride or slide along the lower leaves until they reach their closed positions wherein the two stages form two closely adjacent layers at the bottom of the container, as seen in FIG. 3.

It will be appreciated that the door closure means according to my invention may comprise two, three, four or more leaves in two or more stages. FIG. 6 shows a door closure embodying four leaves 22 in the upper stage, each leaf extending between its edges 26 respectively, and four leaves 28 in the lower stage, each leaf extending between its edges 32, respectively. FIG. 7 shows a door closure means embodying three leaves 58 in the upper stage, each leaf extending between its edges 60, respectively, and three leaves 62 in the lower stage, each leaf extending between its edges 64, respectively.

It will thus be seen that the present invention does indeed provide an improved container and bottom closure means therefor which is superior in simplicity, economy and efficiency as compared to prior art such devices.

Although certain particular embodiments of the invention are herein disclosed for purposes of explanation, various modifications thereof, after study of this specification, will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A container including door closure means at the bottom thereof, means for operating said door closure means, said closure means comprising a plurality of stages, each stage having a plurality of leaves, said leaves being hinged to the bottom edge of the container, the leaves of each stage being disposed with respect to the leaves of the next adjacent stage so that the edges of the leaves of one stage are intermediate the edges of the leaves of the next adjacent stage.

2. A container according to claim 1 wherein said means for operating said door closure means comprises means for moving the lowest stage leaves up and down, the upper stage leaves being so disposed that they ride along the face of the next adjacent lower stage leaves, respectively.

3. A container according to claim 2 wherein said means for moving the lowest stage leaves comprises a fluid pressure control system.

4. A container according to claim 3, wherein said means for moving the lowest stage leaves further comprises toggle linkages interposed between said fluid pressure system and said lower stage leaves to ensure that the door closure means are held closed in case of failure of the fluid pressure control system.

5. A container according to claim 1, wherein said meansfor operating said door closure means comprises for each lowe'st stage leaf a fluid pressure piston-cylinder assembly pivotally mounted on said container, a plate assembly pivotally mounted on said container, a piston rod extending from said piston-cylinder assembly and pivotall Connected to said plate assembly, a link having one end pivotally attached to said plate assembly and having the other end thereof pivotally attached to a leaf of the lowest stage, each of the upper stage leaves being disposed so that it rides on the face of the next adjacent lower stage leaf.

6. A container according to claim 1 wherein said container is of cylindrical configuration.

7. A container according to claim 6 wherein each of said leaves has the same circumferential sector.

8. A container according to claim 6 wherein each of said leaves are pie-shaped.

9. A container according to claim 1 wherein the edges of each leaf meet the edges of the adjacent leaves in the same stage in abutting relationship when the closure means is in its closed position.

10. A container according to claim 1 wherein there are an equal number of leaves in each stage.

11. A container according to claim 10 wherein each stage has three leaves.

12. A container according to claim 10 wherein each stage has four leaves.

13. A container according to claim 1 wherein there are two stages.

14. A container including door closure means at the bottom thereof, means for-operating said door closure means, said closure means comprising an upper stage and a lower stage, each stage having a plurality of leaves, said leaves being hinged to the bottom edge of the container, the leaves of the upper stage being disposed with respect to the leaves of the lower stage so that the edges of the leaves of one stage are intermediate the edges of the leaves of the other stage, said means for operating said door closure means comprising for each leaf of the lower stage, a fluid piston-cylinder assembly mounted on the container, fluid pressure means for said fluid pistoncylinder assembly, a plate assembly pivotally mounted on the outside of said container, a piston rod extending from said piston-cylinder assembly and being pivotally attached to said plate assembly, a link having one end pivotally attached to said plate assembly, an arm extending outwardly from each of said leaves of the lower stage, the other end of said link being pivotally attached to said arm, said piston rod and plate assembly and link forming a toggle linkage to ensure that said door closure remains closed in case of failure-in the fluid pressure system, the leaves in the upper stage being disposed so that they ride on the face of the leaves of the lower stage when opening and closing, and said leaves forming a funnel-like configuration when in their open position permitting material in said container to be dropped without scattering.

15. A container including door closure means at the bottom thereof, means for operating said door closure means, said closure means comprising an upper stage and a lower stage, each stage including at least three leaves,

said leaves being hinged at the bottom edge of the container, said container being of cylindrical configuration and each of said leaves having the same circumferential sector, each of said leaves being substantially pie-shaped and the edges of each leaf metting the edges of the adjacent leaves in the same stage in abutting relationship when the closure means is in its closed position, said upper stage having the same number of leaves as said lower stage and the leaves of said upper stage being disposed with respect to the leaves of the lower stage so that the edges of the leaves of the upper stage are intermediate the edges of the leaves of the lower stage.

16. A container including door closure means at the bottom thereof, a means for operating said door closure means, said closure means including a lower stage and an upper stage, each stage comprising at least three leaves, said leaves being hinged to the bottom edge of the container, each leaf having the same circumferential sector, each leaf being substantially pie-shaped, the edges of each leaf meeting the edges ofthe adjacent leaves in abutting relationship when the closure means is in its closed position, the leaves of the upper stage being disposed with respect to the leaves of the lower stage so that the edges of the leaves of one stage are intermediate the edges of the leaves of the other stage; for each leaf in the lower stage a fluid pressure piston-cylinder assembly pivotally mounted on the outside of said container, a piston rod extending from said piston-cylinder assembly, a plate assembly pivotally attached to the outside of said container, said piston rod being pivotally attached to said plate assembly, a link having one end pivotally attached to said plate assembly and having the other end thereof pivotally attached to a leaf in the lower stage, said piston rod and plate assembly and link being so disposed that they form a toggle linkage to ensure that the doors are held closed in case of failure in the fluid pressure system, leaves of the upper stage being disposed so that they ride on the faces of the lower stage References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 674,503 5/1901 Haegg 222-503 2,926,489 3/1960 Halford et a1 2512l2 X 3,000,661 9/1961 Catania 29469 SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 294--69 

